Health DG suspension confirms need to make Digital Vibes report public
27 September 2021
The DA has noted the announcement by the National Department of Health that the current Director-General, Dr. Sandile Buthelezi, has been placed on precautionary leave due to being implicated in the Special Investigative Unit’s Digital Vibes report.
While this precautionary suspension may be routine in disciplinary matters like this within the department, it is only the tip of the broader iceberg.
Real accountability cannot be dealt with in a piecemeal fashion. There are a number of senior officials within the department who are implicated in this corruption scandal and the Minister of Health, Dr. Joe Phaahla should deal with this matter decisively.
Transparency is needed on who has been implicated and what steps are being taken to hold them to account. Simply assuring the people of South Africa that the matter is being dealt with is not good enough. We have seen many corruption scandals be swept under the carpet within the ANC government and this egregious theft will not be another one. The theft of public money must be dealt with publicly in order to ensure that all those who have been found to have broken the law are held to account.